1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for producing a mass of water vapor, which apparatus is used for effectively causing artificial stimulation of rain, an apparatus for producing, moving and climbing a mass of water vapor, and a method of causing artificial stimulation of rain through the use of the apparatus for producing, moving and climbing a mass of water vapor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An attempt has been made for causing artificial stimulation of rain as a countermeasure for drought. In conventional methods of causing artificial stimulation of rain, raindrops were artificially made by dispersing dry ice into naturally produced cloud particles. Thus, it was necessary to wait until cloud particles were naturally produced, and natural production of cloud particles was dependent on a chance, resulting in that it was difficult to cause artificial stimulation of rain in a desired area at a desired time. An example of a technique concerning artificial stimulation of rain is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-88257.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 57 (1982)-150328 discloses a method of producing ascending air current, including the steps of forming a shallow seawater pool, and exposing the seawater to sunlight to thereby vaporize the seawater.
However, it was difficult in the conventional art to control an amount of produced water vapor. Furthermore, after seawater that has been absorbed by virtue of capillary mechanism has evaporated, salt remains sticking to a capillary device with the result of reduction in a function of capillary mechanism. It requires a lot of work to remove such salt.
In order to effectively cause artificial stimulation of rain, it is important and necessary to climb a mass of produced water vapor at a height where winds blow towards an area in which it is intended to rain. In addition, since a height preferable for a mass of water vapor to climb for causing artificial stimulation of rain varies in accordance with circumstances, it is also necessary to control a height at which a mass of water vapor has to climb. Furthermore, winds scarcely blow in some seasons, in which case, it is necessary to cause winds to blow in a desired direction.
However, the conventional art fails to disclose how to move a mass of water vapor in order to cause the water vapor to ride on ascending air current, and how to control a height at which a mass of water vapor has to climb. In addition, it is necessary to cause an apparatus for producing a mass of water vapor to shunt under wild weather conditions such as a typhoon.